ONLY 17, BUT THAVA BUYS A HOUSE FOR HIS PARENTS
17-year-old para athlete uses RM54,000 incentive to buy house in Segamat
KUALA LUMPUR: As a child, S. Thavanesvaran could not walk until he was seven years old because the veins on his left foot were damaged during delivery.
It was only after undergoing surgery on his foot and calf that he was able to walk.
Even then, he has to wear two different sizes of shoes and spikes because his right foot is size six while his left is size three.
Despite battling against the odds due to his disabilities, the 17-yearold can now stand proud and walk tall – he is able to buy a house for his parents G. Subramaniam and K. Vijayaletchumy. And it’s all thanks to his athletic prowess.
The Johor teenager, who is a Form Five student of SMK Ahmad Arshad in Segamat, was named the Best Male Athlete at the Kuala Lumpur Asean Para Games in September after bagging three gold medals – in men’s 100m, 200m, 400m – and a silver in the 4x100m in the T44 category.
For his efforts, he received a total of RM40,750 under the national incentive scheme from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday.
The Johor Sports Council had also rewarded Thavanesvaran RM14,000 for his feats in the Asean Para Games.
The monetary rewards could not have been more timely as “we’ve been given notice to vacate the house we’re renting at Taman Minang Baru in Segamat by next month”.
“My parents are both rubber tappers and can’t afford to buy a house,” said Thavanesvaran.
“I am very fortunate that my golden debut at the Asean Para Games has earned me a total of RM54,750.
“I never thought that I’d receive such incentives or that I’d be able to buy a house for my parents at such a young age.
“My parents have already booked a PR1MA house in Segamat for RM25,000. We hope to get the keys in the next few months.
“I’m happy that I can give the best gift – a house – to my parents.”
Having proven himself in the Asean Para Games, he now hopes to do well in his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examinations, which begins next Monday.
Thavanesvaran has also been chosen to represent Malaysia in the Asian Para Youth Games in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from Dec 10-14.
Johor coach Noorhudah Jamal was full of praise for Thavanesvaran, describing him as “a dedicated athlete and a responsible son”.
“I’ve been coaching him since early this year.
“He has a bright future in para athletics. I’m confident he can win a medal in the Under-19 Games in Dubai. I hope to train him until he gets to feature in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics,” said Noorhudah.